Proposal on Health Insurance Exchanges Released by Health and Human Services

Monday, July 11, 2011

Proposal on Health Insurance Exchanges Released by Health and Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its proposed rule on the implementation of the Health Insurance Exchanges ("Exchanges") as directed under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and amendments, known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Exchanges are expected to create competitive marketplaces for health insurance plans. Individuals and small employers will be able to compare private health insurance options based on various categories such as quality and price. The expectation is that the Exchanges will encourage competition among insurance plan providers, thereby creating improvements in the quality of health plans and their benefits and affordability of health plan choices. Additionally, small employers theoretically will have the same purchasing "clout" as large employers. The exchanges must become operational by January 1, 2014.

Comments

As a pediatric physical therapist of 32 years now, and in private practice (center-based) for the last 23 years, I am intensely interested in this topic. So many of our families are truly stuck in the world of being employed only in large enough companies to provide them and their children with disabilities a decent insurance policy. Entrepeneurship is being stifled, and benefits are ever shrinking. I would like to become an advocacy writer for families having kids with disabilities, from the PT point of view. Please let me know if the APTA could use some help on this.
Renee G. Rowley, PT, PCS, C/NDT

Posted by Renee G Rowley, PT, PCS, C/NDT
on 7/15/2011 11:32 PM

the affordable care act should be actively endorsed by the APTA.
more people will be able to afford comprehensive insurance which will help therapists and their patients. a myriad of features such as an emphasis on cost control via evidence based practices and better access to health care will eventually drive costs down for everyone.
therapists will need to to pracice effectively but we all feel we can
deliver.

Posted by Carlos Montero
on 7/16/2011 12:39 PM

The ideas sounds great. However, as we have seen with Blue Cross in Ca, NY, and other states, the primary allegiance of the health insurance companies is the stock holders and executives, there business in to make money. And, oh by the way, provide for subscribers. The rehab community, PTs, OTs, Speech are the "low-hanging fruit" and they will cut our reimbursement to maintain profit margins. They are greedy and in control.

Posted by Bud Ferrante PT, OCS
on 7/18/2011 6:24 PM

To be an in-network provider with employer based healthcare, these days, means you have accepted very little compensation for your services. Rising costs of energy, fees associated with basic expenses like leased space, HR, liabilities, materials, shipping costs, etc. If the exchange gets passed and works to set relative values to a descent standard, than providers may be saved by government intervention to provide competition to private insurance market control. Wow....government intervention to save the day?